D. Humo
I know deep, dark and atmospheric are three words used very often to describe music, espcially ambient. But in this case, I think these three words are really appropriate for this great release.
Favorite track: Behind closed eyes.
Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
Purchasable with gift card
€6EUR or more
Record/Vinyl + Digital Album
Beautifully designed 12" vinyl with 30cm print of the original artwork created by Polish artist Adrianna Snochowska.
Includes unlimited streaming of Formic Syntax
via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
ships out within 3 days
€15EURor more
Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album
A beautifully produced Ecopak CD with 8 page booklet giving the story behind the release and a reproduction of the original artwork created by Polish painter Adrianna Snochowska
Includes unlimited streaming of Formic Syntax
via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
Formic Syntax is the newest LP created by Ebauche, aka Alex Leonard, which veers halfway between ambient and densely intricate beats. Having recently relocated to Berlin, this album draws on the myriad of artistic and musical inspiration overflowing in this city.
Originally released in mid-2018 as a limited edition cassette on Cosmic Winnetou, the album is now being given a full release on vinyl, CD and digital distribution by Supple 9.
The tracks on Formic Syntax have a distinctly harder edge than recent releases by Ebauche and much of the album is pulsating with angular sonics and crisp, sharp polyrhythms. As always, Ebauche has found ways to densely layer the audio spectrum with constantly varying electronics, whilst maintaining clarity and purpose.
Behind Closed Eyes aptly opens the album with subtle melodic pads, underlying bass drones, fractured field recordings topped off with alien distorted crackles. A Bipolar Retraction draws you out of ambience and into utterly hypnotic chaos. Unmeshing Cinematic Realism fragments things even more, just held together by driving beat, and Alcovic Arch reins you back in with a more palatable yet beat driven structure. The album then eases back and into two slow and languid pieces which hark back to Ebauche’s earlier ambient releases whilst maintaining a beautiful attention to detail and sculpting of sound. The nine minute closing piece is effervescent, washing over the listener with waves of shimmering serenity.
The whole package is complemented by stunning cover art, itself a remix of a unique painting created specially for the release by Polish artist Adrianna Snochowska. The original is a 70 x 60 cm oil painting on canvas, and a print of the artwork is included with each vinyl copy.
credits
released April 19, 2019
All tracks written & produced by Alex Leonard in Płock (PL) & Berlin (DE)
Mixed at Supple 9 Studio, Berlin, DE
Mastered by Rafael Anton Irisarri, Black Knoll Studio, NY, USA
Original painting & print by Adrianna Snochowska
Cover design by Supple 9
Thanks: Günter Schlienz, Donn, Warren, Marcella & Matthias, my parents
Special Thanks: Scott Bywater, Warren Daly, Eleni Goulandris, Christian Hotz, Tobias Krug, Philip Leonard, Sophia Leonard, Danny Mansergh
Ebauche (aka Alex Leonard) has been producing music since 2001. Musically his output covers a range of dark beat driven
electronic music, to sublime ambient cascades, to simple piano compositions.
we're all beside a wooded creek, laying on this silken mossy chord, listening as leaves tumble down in succession. the pond nearby catches each leaf and we sync our thoughts using the chain of ripples in the water. thanks a lot for this one. recommended for relaxation or when it just gets to be too much out there Ews Nsj
This 19-track charity compilation from London label Edited Arts showcases the moodier side of electronic music in songs that hover & float. Bandcamp New & Notable Feb 6, 2021